Louisa
by Sayoko Bizen
Summary: Prequel of "The Diary of Wolfram's Wife" and "Wolfram's Missive". Beta'd by DaystarsMom. Follows the life of Louisa von Bielefeld, the wife of a man legendary for his love and dedication... to someone else.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Not mine.

This story is dedicated to: DarkHuntress01. Thank you for giving me the idea for a series.

Everyone else: If you read this, please comment. I wanna know what you think. Specifically, if you think it sucks, tell me why. If you have questions or you think I missed something in spinning this yarn, ask and it will be answered. I'm an amateur writer and I have an excellent beta, but I wanna know that you, my readers, are out there, and that you aren't just a figment of my imagination. Basically, I'm saying that I typed more than 4,000 words for this chapter alone. Have a heart. Review. Please.

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From the four-poster bed, Lord Andreas von Bielefeld looked up at his daughter Louisa. She was putting away the basin and the sponge she'd used to wash him. He'd been bedridden for weeks now for unknown reasons. He was perfectly healthy, the doctors said, even though Lord Andreas always complained about being tired. They recommended energizing teas and bed rest but that was all. "I'm sorry about having to send you to the Capital, Louisa," he said sadly.

"It was not an invitation I was sent, Father. It had a red seal. It was practically a summons. I think they're being hasty because of the Renewal of the Covenants."

Her father shook his head. "I gathered as much, Louisa. So… how would you feel if you were Chosen? I mean, you're so young. Sure, you and Lord Wolfram are fourth cousins but you're still from the same House. Times like these I wish your mother was still with us. She'd know what to say. I don't know anything about how young women feel about marriage."

The young Lady laughed. "I'm not marrying anyone, Father. I'm sixteen years old and Lord Wolfram is eighty-seven! I'm pretty sure I'll be passed up for someone more suitable faster than you can say my name." she joked, her almond-shaped brown eyes twinkling.

Andreas smiled sadly at his daughter. "Louisa Anastasia von Bielefeld is quite a long name."

"It's not as long as Wolfram Arthur Phillip Louis." she reasoned, grinning.

Her father laughed. "He is a Prince. Princes have long names."

Louisa smiled. She'd set up her point; now she could make it. "Well, I'm practically a commoner, being a Lesser Bielefeld. I'm sure I'll be shooed out of the castle as soon as I arrive. I'll be back before you even start to miss me."

Andreas lifted his daughter's hand and kissed it. "You're still here and I miss you already. Just remember: whatever you do, just say no if you don't want to do anything, okay?" he said worriedly.

Louisa smiled and nodded.

The next moment, Lord Andreas had a determined look on his face. "You know what? I changed my mind. I'm coming with you. I already lost your mother when you were born. I'm not going to lose you too."

"No, you are not coming with me, and neither are you losing me," Louisa answered firmly. In a softer tone, she assured him. "I'll be fine, Father. You need to stay here and rest. I'll be back before you know it." She kissed his forehead and tucked him in like he used to do for her when she was little. When she reached the door, she flicked her wrist and the numerous candles in the room all went out.

Louisa arrived by carriage at Castle Blood Pledge two days later. It was supposed to have been at least a three-day journey, but she'd packed light - just a few clothes, a nightgown, and a first aid kit for emergencies. As soon as she arrived, a messenger was sent to meet her saying that Lord Gwendal had requested a meeting. Bone-weary as she was, she agreed without complaint. She squared her shoulders, held her head high, and allowed the boy who'd been sent down to collect her lead the way.

Gwendal's office was everything Louisa thought a general's study would look like. There were maps on the walls, strategy and warfare books on the shelves, and at the very heart of the place a desk was on an elevated platform from which the General could conveniently glare down upon lesser beings. The only thing amiss in the whole setup was a display cabinet full of knitted plush toys, but Louisa really didn't trust her mind at that moment - not after days of nonstop traveling and very little sleep. The red seal had demanded her attendance at Castle Blood Pledge no later than three days upon receipt. She shook her head to clear it and did her best to focus on what Lord von Voltaire was saying.

"Lady Louisa, I'm going to ask you to present yourself to Wolfram tonight. I've worked it out so that a minimum amount of time is wasted." Gwendal said.

Louisa was shell-shocked. "I… I don't understand, Lord von Voltaire. I was sent an Invitation to be part of a Selection. Don't Selections start in the morning and end before sunset? Besides, I am a von Bielefeld. Lord Wolfram and I are from the same House. I cannot be part of the Selection in the first place. I merely came to show our compliance."

He gave her a severe look, but said, "Call me Gwendal. We're practically family."

"Lord Gwendal, thank you - wait, what? What do you mean we're practically family?" her eyes widened in alarm.

Gwendal rolled his eyes. "There is no Selection. Not this time."

Louisa shook her head. "You mean I am…" she trailed off.

"You have been. The invitation was a ruse. My mother has pre-selected you, but whether or not you marry Wolfram will be your decision. Lord Andreas has already consented. _That_ is why you have been summoned."

Louisa gaped at him. _Father knew about this? And he didn't tell me?_

"As you already know, Wolfram was a Royal fiancé and the King has rejected him after years of engagement. Wolfram has fallen from grace and none of the other Houses will give him a suitable spouse. He remains a member of the Council solely because of his birthright. Come the Renewal though, The House of Bielefeld will requre a married man to represent it; someone who will assure the other Nine Aristocrats that he is responsible enough and will have offspring to carry on his legacy. It's a lose-lose situation for everyone – a situation that the other Houses refuse to ameliorate. So now, the future of your House is in your hands, Lady Louisa. You are the only one from your House not related closely enough to Wolfram to be eligible."

Louisa shook her head in disbelief. "But I'm a Lesser Bielefeld. Certainly there is someone more suitable?"

"You are in no position to refuse." Gwendal growled.

Lady von Bielefeld clutched at her throat in alarm. "Is… is there really no other way?"

Gwendal glared at her. "No, there's not. The dissolution of the Royal Engagement a month ago was carried out hastily and just happened to be at the most inopportune time. Mother, Conrart and I tried to convince the King to hold off but he prevailed. Had the King broken off the Engagement after next week, _you_ wouldn't be here because Wolfram, as a Royal Fiancé, would have been exempted from the rule; his marriage would have depended on the King's Royal Will and not even the Elements will question that. If the three of us had only succeeded in deferring the King's decision, we would have been able to keep things under control for another five hundred years until the next Renewal. But because of the timing of the Engagement's nullification, the fall of the House of Bielefeld will be inevitable should Wolfram remain unmarried by the eve of the Summer Equinox."

"But that's tomorrow! Please, Lord Gwendal! I have nothing to do with this!" Louisa shrieked.

"Don't think for a second, Lady Louisa, that your father's precious little manor will be spared when the House of Bielefeld is no more. When that happens, your province will be torn apart like a carcass amongst the other Houses. Being the nearest to you, Voltaire actually has first pick. If you refuse to marry Wolfram and shame him a second time before the entire Kingdom, I will see to it that your father's manor is the first to go. I could not do anything against the King, but I can certainly make sure that you will lose all that you have."

Louisa's face paled. "You wouldn't!"

Gwendal smirked. "Oh, but I would. There is nothing I wouldn't do for my baby brother at this point. He has been shamed enough."

"I'm only sixteen years old! I can't marry anyone!" she pleaded.

"You are of age! Listen, Lady Louisa: When Waltorana passed on, Wolfram became the new Head of Bielefeld. If the House of Bielefeld falls because Wolfram is unmarried by the next Renewal, there will be an imbalance of power and the Covenants will be abolished. The Elements will not be happy about there being Nine Aristocrats, instead of the Ten they are accustomed to. The Heads of the other eight Houses are convinced they can keep the Covenants intact even if Bielefeld is unseated, but as it is, the balance is already delicate and the Elements are uneasy. To have one of the Houses fall – the damage will be unimaginable!" he bellowed.

Louisa stood up and started yelling back at him. "You could have just said that in the first place instead of threatening me!"

Lord von Voltaire gaped at her for a moment and then he grinned. "Then you accept?"

"On one condition: I'd like to talk to him before we are wed. This is my life we are talking about. Please," she begged.

Gwendal stood up looked down at her where she sat. "Done. I have arranged for you to share his quarters. We don't have any spare rooms."

Louisa thought she noticed a faint smile on the General's lips and for the first time in her life, she knew what being trapped felt like.

It was about five in the afternoon when Louisa was shown the room she and Wolfram were to share. She shouldn't really have been surprised, but she found only one bed in the center of the room. Her things had already been unpacked for her and arranged at one end of the walk-in closet to the left of the door. Lamps flanked the bed, and there were a few books on the bedside table. On the right sat a desk and on it were a few quills, an inkwell, and a pad of expensive-looking paper. There was also a smaller notepad of cheap-looking paper for what she guessed would be pigeon-post messages. Beside the desk were bookshelves filled with volumes about art, military science, history, and parenthood.

_Parenthood? _She thought as she pulled down one of the books and began examining it. _Oh right. The Princess Greta, now the Maiden Queen of the desert kingdom of Svelera. Oh Louisa, what have you gotten yourself into?_

Panicked, she ran into the closet, closed the door, and sat down in the darkness. Nothing in her life could have prepared her for this. Instead of dance lessons and deportment, she'd been taught agriculture and the basics of veterinary medicine. Instead of politics and protocol, she'd been taught how to run a manor and how to negotiate barter trade with other landowners so she and the people who worked their lands could get what they needed. She was also an excellent cook, but what use would that be in a great big Palace where she would have servants who for all she knew might themselves have servants? And to top it all, she was to be married to someone who was legendary for his dedication and love for the greatest Maou Shin Makoku had ever known.

Not knowing what else to do, she curled up on the floor and wept. She wept for her House. She wept for her father now all alone back in the manor except for the help. Lastly, she wept for herself.

Louisa awakened a few hours later in a bed. She was still dressed in her clothes but her shoes were off. She promptly sat up and held the covers up and over her chest, a knee-jerk reaction to being caught sleeping.

A blond boy who looked to be about nineteen smiled at her, but he had the saddest eyes she had ever seen. Otherwise, he looked like an angel and his beauty was otherworldly. He was saying something to her, but she couldn't really hear him. She'd been sucked in by those incredibly melancholic, impossibly green eyes… Louisa knew right then and there that she would do everything to take their sorrow away.

"Are you even listening to me?" he was saying now.

Louisa shook her head vigorously to clear it. "I'm sorry, my lord. I was so tired from my journey. I must have fallen asleep in your closet."

The boy rolled his eyes and muttered "Idiot". For a moment his eyes looked even sadder before they turned angry. "Look, Miss. I don't know who you are or why you're here, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave. I am Wolfram von Bielefeld and this is my room. Now I have been on patrol all day. I can't sleep if there's some girl sleeping in my closet or anywhere here. So what is your name so I can have the maids get you a room suitable for your rank?"

_I'm going to kill Lord von Voltaire! _She fumed._ Wait. Lord Wolfram doesn't seem to be a Selfish Brat. If he was, he could have just started yelling at me where I was, instead of carrying me to his bed and waiting until I woke up. He said he was tired. It would have been the easier thing to do. Either the rumors are untrue or maybe being with the King has changed him. _Her heart wrenched a little at the last thought.

Louisa clutched the sheets tighter in her nervousness. "Nobody told you?"

"Told me what?" he asked.

"I'm… I'm Louisa von Bielefeld from Lesser Bielefeld. I have been Chosen."

Wolfram stood up and started pacing beside his bed. He walked so fast Louisa was sure that if he kept it up, he'd wear a hole in the carpet. "Oh, no! No, no, no, no! You're from my House!" he yelled.

"I know. That's what I told Lord Gwendal."

The blond-haired boy glared at her was probably about to start yelling at her again but he stopped and stared. "Incredible," he said.

Louisa blinked at him. "What is?"

"Your eyes… they're almond-shaped - like Yuuri's. In fact, you look exactly like Yuuri in disguise now that I think about it—brown eyes, brown hair, the exact same facial features- although your hair is lot longer and you're obviously female. You don't look like a von Bielefeld – not by a long shot."

She stared at her knuckles which had turned white from grasping the sheets so hard. "I'm from Lesser Bielefeld. We're only distantly related, my lord. We're fourth cousins."

Wolfram put his hand to his temple. "I know the other Houses don't want to marry off one of their scions to me given my circumstances, but I didn't think my family would stoop so low as to take a girl from my own House and bring her here for me to marry. I was thinking they'd negotiate to bring in some foreign noble or something. _This_ is why I sent Greta away to Svelera when she came of age last year. I didn't want to take chances. If she hadn't become Sovereign Queen of another country, who knows if my family would have pushed her to marry me – her own father, can you imagine? All just to keep Bielefeld afloat."

"If you knew this was going to happen a year ago, then why..?"

"We got closer after Greta left. Apparently, not close enough."

She met his intense gaze with her own. "Our marriage has been arranged and I'm willing to marry you. I can't have the destruction of our province on my hands. Not when I could have done something. My father… he's old and he's sick. I can't afford to lose our manor once the other Houses tear Bielefeld apart. It will be the death of him."

Wolfram sighed as he massaged his temples in frustration. "Move over," he then ordered. "I need to lie down."

Louisa moved to leave the bed, but two hands firmly held her by her waist and pulled her back down. She squeaked in surprise, but said nothing even as she felt her cheeks color.

"I'm not asking you to leave anymore. I just asked you to move over," Wolfram said. Louisa stilled and Wolfram let go of her. He lay on his back a couple inches away from her and closed his eyes as he fought to keep his wits about him. "You poor child. Marrying me will probably be the worst decision you'll make in your entire life."

Louisa copied Wolfram and lay on her back as well, hoping that he didn't see how her face reddened at his action of a few moments before. "Well, I'm sixteen and I'm a Lesser Bielefeld. I could have been married off to some brute from some backwater country to buy peace, had this not happened. My father has little to no power – just a drop of noble blood and a manor, that's all we have."

A smile lit up Wolfram's face. "Yuuri would not have allowed you to be married off to some barbarian. He's such a wimp. He would not have allowed even someone from the lower nobility to be married off to someone they didn't love. Hell, he'd not have allowed a _commoner_ to be married off to someone they didn't love. The only probable reason he's consented to you being here is because it's either you or him, and he really didn't want to be engaged anymore." he said despondently.

Louisa nodded. "His Majesty's kindness is known, even in rural Bielefeld. I was just trying to make a point."

The sad look returned to Wolfram's eyes. "I know." he said. "Louisa, if you marry me, it will only be in name. I didn't stay engaged for so long for nothing. I will love Yuuri for as long as I live."

Louisa sat up and looked Wolfram in the eye. "I understand. I have always known that I would do better not to expect to marry for love. I'm just glad I'll be marrying for the sake of something greater than a temporary truce or something equally inconsequential. I'll be helping you keep our House in its proper place in the Council and I'll be partly responsible for the Covenants staying intact. It's more than a girl from the country can ever hope to be part of."

"I prefer men, specifically Yuuri, so I will not be able to give you carnal pleasure."

Louisa felt her face grow hot. She quickly narrowed her eyes and willed the brightly burning candle-flames in the room to a low glow. Hopefully the change in lighting would hide her blush. "W-well, defloration is said to be a painful process. I'm glad to be missing out on it." _Besides, I can't miss something I've never experienced._

An amused expression was on Wolfram's face the next moment. "Defloration? You mean the loss of virginity? You really are from the countryside, aren't you?"

Louisa hastened to change the topic to cover her embarrassment. "I've also been told that childbirth is even more painful. I think I can live without finding out whether or not that is the case." _Although, I wouldn't mind having baby boy if he looked just like you. Ooh, and a little girl would be nice a couple years after… naturally, she'd have looked like me, just to balance things out. Oh, Louisa, get a grip! Weren't you listening? _She forced herself to focus on Wolfram again.

Wolfram's face was only inches away from hers now, and she wondered vaguely when he'd gotten up. "The entirety of sex isn't all that bad. What of kissing? Surely you have kissed someone before?"

Louisa shook her head. "No, my lord. My coming-of-age last week passed without event. My father is sick so no formal celebration was held. That's why I never got the chance to mingle with young noblemen from my locality. In hindsight, it was a little strange, even for Lesser Bielefeld. Now I understand that the arrangements for our marriage were already made. There was no need for me to come out. Not when I was already Chosen." _I just wish they could have told me… but what would I have done? _She considered Wolfram for a moment and wondered why they didn't tell her about her either. She guessed that he wouldn't have accepted her, had he known in advance. She was young and she knew nothing about court life. He was worldly and handsome and just now, she couldn't even answer his personal questions without having to modify the lighting. _Maybe I should be glad he wasn't told. _

"So you've had no lovers? No boyfriends or girlfriends?"

"No, my lord. My mother died giving birth to me. Since the day I began walking and talking, my father began training me to take over our manor in Lesser Bielefeld. I had neither the time or the interest." She suddenly realized with a twinge of disappointment that he was not flirting with her. This was self defense. It would do Wolfram no good to be married to a girl who looked elsewhere for romance – such secrets always got out, and to be rejected twice, first by the Maou and later by his country-born wife would complete the destruction of his reputation and influence. _Well, I won't cheat. I'll just keep myself so busy working with you I'll fall asleep the moment my head touches the pillow._

Wolfram groaned. "The eve of the Summer Equinox is tomorrow. There is no time to find someone else. Louisa, if you are willing to marry me knowing how I feel about Yuuri and that you won't experience joy of lovemaking or the privilege of motherhood, we'll do this."

"You make it sound like a death sentence. It's a lifetime together we're in for – not my execution. And who knows? In time, you may grow fond of me."

Wolfram cupped Louisa's cheek and kissed her lightly on the lips. "If it were only fondness, I feel that for you already, my poor little cousin - which is why I apologize in advance for the life you'll have with me."

Louisa wondered about how the Maou could have turned such a magnificent creature down. But as Wolfram took her in his arms, tucked her head under his chin and pulled the covers over them, she realized she didn't care_. _


	2. Chapter 2

It was about three when Louisa roused from her slumber that summer morning. She felt snug and comfortable, but a little too warm, as if she was sleeping next to a hearth. She blinked her eyes sleepily in an attempt to clear her vision. Thankfully, the candles had all burned out (or maybe she'd put them all out the night before, she couldn't recall). She made a move to get up and PLOP! She fell back into the soft bed once more.

An arm was around her waist. Had it been there all this time? She wondered. She lethargically brought her pointer finger up and a small candle-flame instantly floated half an inch above her fingernail.

The light revealed the sight of a peacefully sleeping Prince Wolfram who buried his head further into her hair mumbling, "Yuuri… Please… love me… just a little." Her heart fell. She was far away from home, and her father had consented to her marrying this man today - a man who was clearly in love with someone else.

Louisa decided the night before that she would fill the emptiness she felt with activity. She was a von Bielefeld after all – Lesser von Bielefeld, sure, but a von Bielefeld still - and von Bielefelds were not known for being wordsmiths. Works. Actions. Proof. That was what she knew. Von Bielefelds did. They didn't talk. They just _did_.

It took about twenty minutes to finally extricate herself from Wolfram's firm grasp. At first she'd tried to gently pry his fingers off her midsection one by one, but that only ended up with him pulling her into a bear hug with both his arms around her. She tried shimmying down, but Wolfram threw his leg over her hip and pulled her in with that too. Then just when she was about to give up, she sighed in disappointment. At that, a still-slumbering Wolfram pushed away from her as if her body had burned him, and turned so that his back was to her.

Freed at last, Louisa hurriedly stood up, lest Wolfram should turn around once more. She chose to linger by the bedside though, and smiled a little as she considered his sleeping form. He's a military man and will probably want to wake up at dawn, she thought. She closed her eyes and instantly, an image of the Bielefeld military regalia was before her, a memory instilled deep into her psyche by the sight of Bielefeld soldiers who always made courtesy calls to her father when their troops passed by their manor.

Louisa had already been in Wolfram's closet the day before, so she knew where all his clothes were. Inside the walk-in closet was a marble island. The next few minutes found Louisa setting out Wolfram's uniform and laying out his accessories neatly on the island. She was too embarrassed to put out his underwear, though. She wondered briefly if the embarrassment would fade with time. When she was done, she went to her side of it and dressed. She was already up, and she would have needed to get up soon anyway, so instead of going back to bed, she decided to make breakfast for herself and Wolfram. Surely a wife did that?

Louisa found the kitchen after asking the guards posted outside Wolfram's room. And those on the second floor. And finally those posted near the Grand Hall. "Castle Blood Pledge is a labyrinth!" she thought.

At least, once she arrived in the kitchen, she was on familiar ground. Gleaming pots and pans hung from hooks on the ceiling. Stoves and ovens shone spotless on counters of ancient stone and marble. There were differences too, of course, but all of them quite pleasant - the cabinets and larders were bursting with stock from every corner of the world. Cavalcadian honey, Franshire cheeses, Sveleran dates – anything a cook could want was available. Before long, she had everything she needed, except for sugar. She scanned the room for it and found it on a high shelf, probably to discourage ants, which were afraid of heights. Louisa stood on her tippy-toes and reached for it. She tried jumping for it too, but she still couldn't reach it. Suddenly a tanned hand came from behind her and easily took the sugar container down and gave it to her.

"Here you go," the voice behind her said.

Louisa turned around to thank the person and as she did she saw that the hand led to a black-encased arm which was connected to a black-clothed torso. She curtseyed and kept her eyes on the floor. She knew that next would have been black hair and black eyes which no commoner – or near-commoner, anyway - had a right to look into. Especially not one who was marrying the King's former fiancé.

"Miss? Are you alright?" the king said.

The monarch's kindness was legendary, but she wasn't just anybody. She was the interloper. She didn't mean to be, but she was, nonetheless.

Yuuri sighed, and the next thing Louisa knew, Yuuri was sitting in front of her on the counter, as if he was a common chimney sweep or kitchen boy.

The boy king cleared his throat and said, "As you were,"

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Louisa replied, still careful not to look into Yuuri's eyes. She resumed what she was doing, keeping her head down all the while.

"I don't believe I've seen you around here before. A visiting Lady, maybe? That's it, isn't it? Would you mind telling your name? You must really enjoy cooking, if you're up this early to make yourself breakfast," Yuuri said.

Louisa stopped mixing her pancake batter and turned toward Yuuri, but still averted her eyes. "I'm Louisa von Bielefeld, sire."

"Ooh! You're Wolfram's cousin! Gwendal told me about you. Yeah, I've been informed about you. I-uh… hmm… no wonder you feel rather awkward. I'm sorry. As you were," Yuuri said, his attempt at humor failing.

The cogs in Louisa's mind started to turn. _Shouldn't His Majesty feel at least a little resentful? It's almost as if - _

"Continue with what you're doing. I'm sorry," Yuuri said, interrupting Louisa's train of thought and consequently obliterating it with what sounded to Louisa like an order.

She served him a few open-faced sandwiches she'd made, poured him a glass of milk, and handed him a cup of hot tea with a slice of lemon floating in it.

"Thank you," Yuuri said.

"No trouble at all, sire. Thank you for allowing me to use your kitchen."

Before Louisa could turn away again, Yuuri said, "Miss Louisa, it's okay for you to look at me. I just happen to be king but like you, I also put my shirt on one arm at a time. I'm just your average guy."

_He certainly seems ordinary, but Lord Wolfram couldn't have fallen in love with THAT. This man-child of twenty-one must be more. _Louisa shook her head, horrified at her treasonous thoughts. _Louisa, get a grip! This is the Maou! The man who has found the Demon Sword, the Demon Flute, gathered the Forbidden Boxes, and defeated Soushu. Under that easy-going exterior is the most powerful Mazoku of all time. Who am I next to all that?_

Louisa watched Yuuri take a bite out of his sandwich and felt a bit of embarrassment as the sovereign started to inhale his meal. Before he finished his last sandwich, Louisa pushed a plateful of pancakes topped with syrup and butter in his direction, along with a bowl of fruit salad. She bit her lip nervously even as he started enjoying his second helpings, and she timidly refilled his glass with milk.

While the king ate and kept exclaiming about how good everything was, Louisa put several breakfast items on a tray to take up to Wolfram.

Louisa smiled brightly as she faced the king and was surprised to see that his plate and the glass had been emptied once more.

"Would you like some more, Your Majesty?" she inquired anxiously.

"Unless you want me to roll around the castle wall instead of running, no," Yuuri joked.

Louisa stifled a laugh and was careful to lower her eyes, lest the king see the amusement in them.

"It was a joke. You're allowed to laugh. You don't wanna laugh? That's okay. I'm not that funny," the king babbled.

Louisa curtseyed tensely. "No trouble at all. Well, by your leave, Sire. It's been an honor to meet Your Majesty. I'll just take Lord Wolfram's breakfast up to him."

"Okay. It's good to meet you, too," Yuuri said. Louisa noted that the monarch's tone sounded a little melancholy.

"Is something the matter, Sire?" she inquired.

"It's nothing."

Louisa nodded.

Yuuri merely looked away and said nothing.

When the silence stretched longer than what felt comfortable, Louisa took up the slack. "Well, I should get going. Good morning, sire."

"I… I'm sorry to have kept you. Thanks for breakfast. I'm sorry if Wolfram's breakfast grows cold. "

Wolfram's wife-to-be shook her head and gave Yuuri a small smile. "I'm a fire wielder, sire. I can fix it."

Yuuri lowered his eyes to the cup of tea in his hand.

Louisa turned away from Yuuri and her grip on the tray grew tighter.

"I'm glad you're here. I have been the worst friend to him recently," Yuuri said.

Louisa smiled sadly at that. "His love for you makes him think you're perfect anyway."

"I...I wish it didn't. There's a girl back home... I know what you mean, though. Wolf's like that. I just didn't want to cheat on her. I'm glad he has you, um, to talk to." Yuuri said as he stirred his tea absently.

"And your love for your that girl made your separation from Lord Wolfram an urgent matter." She said softly. It was a statement, not a question.

"She trusts me to be faithful to her. I don't expect you to understand -"

Louisa smiled a little at him. "It is not my place."

"Wolfram already knows, and he understands."

"Love must make the incomprehensible quite reasonable," Louisa said thoughtfully.

A pained look crossed Yuuri's face. "Yes. Yes, it does."

Louisa inclined her head in an abbreviated bow. "I see. Well, I hope you enjoy your morning jog, sire. By your leave?"

Yuuri nodded his assent, and Louisa walked away, her last sight of the Maoh being him swirling his tea and staring at it as if he expected it to tell him something.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer**: This is unbeta'd because I haven't gotten in touch with my beta yet. All mistakes are mine.

**Disclaimer part deux**: KKM! is not mine.

Louisa found her way back to the hallway to Wolfram's room rather easily, but just a few paces away from the room's door she was found by a rather harried-looking Gunter von Christ. Louisa stared at Gunter, awestruck. His hair was so blonde it was almost translucent - in fact, she could probably say it was, if not for the ethereal lavender sheen it took on when exposed to the direct sunlight from the windows.

"Lady Louisa!" Gunter called. He then motioned for one of the foot soldiers guarding the hallway before deftly snatching the breakfast tray from Louisa's hands.

"Hey!" Louisa exclaimed.

Gunter ignored her and gave the soldier instructions to take the food to Wolfram's room.

Before Louisa could protest any further, Gunter was behind her, hands on her shoulders and was gently but firmly pushing her towards an equally stressed-looking Anissina who took Louisa's hand and led her down to the underground dungeons Yuuri had converted into a storage space for treasures as well as bric-a-brac.

Lady Anissina spoke at last when the three of them finally got to the underground warehouse. "I'm sorry, Louisa - can I call you Louisa? There simply isn't any time left. Your wedding is at noon. We need to find you a dress!"

Gunter for his part was already busy poring through the many racks in the very spacious closet.

Anissina looked furious, and thankfully, Louisa noted, not at her. "Where are those maids?!"

Anissina then went to one corner of the big room and opened a door Louisa didn't notice when they first came in. "Step through here. We will hand you dresses. When you are finished trying one on, you are to step out so we can get a good look at you."

Louisa cooperated quietly, trying on dress after dress after dress. She hesitantly but obediently modeled each one before Anissina and Gunter, but soon it was becoming clear that there will be no satisfying them. Louisa was half-tempted to point out that it really won't matter which dress she wore. It's not like the wedding was a state wedding. It can't be at such short notice. At best it was going to be a small and, judging by the elegance of Castle Blood Pledge, a tasteful affair. Surely one of the gowns she'd tried on will suffice?

As Gunter and Anissina pushed and pulled on the latest dress to make it fit Louisa better, someone cleared their throat behind the two, and Louisa saw it was Lady Cecilie von Spitzveg. Flanking the former sovereign were three maids in different color dresses. Celi smiled kindly at Louisa, and Louisa was quick to curtsy, bowing her head very low. Celi bowed down as well to meet Louisa's gaze with her own, showing the younger woman a great deal of cleavage. Louisa's cheeks heated in embarrassment.

"Ma'am." Louisa mumbled.

Celi put a gentle hand on Louisa's cheek and stroked the smooth skin with her thumb. "No. It's Mom."

**xoxoxoxo**

Sorry for the cliffie. More than that, sorry for the grossly long wait.


	4. Chapter 4

**Note**: This is from Wolfram's POV.

**Another note:** Almost all mobiles here are waterproof because we take them EVERYWHERE. I just know people will ask.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Wolfram stood still and allowed Conrart to tie a delicate white lace cravat around his neck and to even out the shoulders of the Bielefeld blue jacket he wore.

"All set," Conrart declared. He then gave his baby brother a tiny, encouraging smile.

Beside Conrart stood Yozak, who handed Wolfram a ceremonial rapier. Wolfram held out his hand for the proffered weapon and slid it into a scabbard already fastened at his own waist. That was the last of it. Wolfram was, outwardly at least, ready to be married.

Yozak pulled Wolfram in for a hug. "I'm so sorry, Wolfram. I hope the kiddo comes to his senses and decides to intervene."

Wolfram tried not to look too hopeful, but failed. It must have been the look on his face that had Conrart admonishing Yozak. "His Majesty knew about this," Conrart choked. "He knew Wolfram loved him but-"

Wolfram embraced Conrart, stopping the latter's words and causing Conrart to openly weep at last. It was strange, comforting his big brother like this, but Wolfram understood. Conrart was loyal to the Crown and could not hate the King no matter what because in Yuuri was Julia. Wolfram knew that. Wolfram also knew Conrart was very disappointed. Wolfram knew that as far as Conrart was concerned, Yuuri had failed to keep their unusual little clique intact by adding someone else into the equation.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

It had been at breakfast one morning when Yuuri spoke up at breakfast and said that he had met someone at college and intended to be with her exclusively. He had then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone and showed them all a picture of Aoyama Megumi, a freshman in the same class as Yuuri. The whole table except for Yuuri went silent, and all eyes were suddenly on Wolfram, who merely smiled and offered Yuuri his congratulations. Yuuri had then been spirited off by an angry-looking Gwendal, and a worried-looking Gunter. Wolfram merely cleared his throat and asked Anissina to pass the pepper.

Wolfram had already known; of course he did. Yuuri had told him first, a long time ago. For a while he had roiled and raged internally, but seeing Yuuri happy had eased his despair. He loved Yuuri and that will never change, but there was nothing to do. Yuuri would just have to be another person Wolfram would have to survive losing.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Wolfram took his place in front of the altar looking every inch like a Prince, Yuuri at his side as his best man. Wolfram saw out of the corner of his eye that Yuuri was looking at him oddly, but Wolfram just closed his eyes, breathed deep, and then trained his vision on Murata's dark robes. It was time for this new phase in Wolfram's life to begin. It was time to grow up.


End file.
